


The Incident of the Great Paris Butt Plug Tree

by AbschaumNo1



Category: Les Misérables - All Media Types
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Established Relationship, Inspired By Tumblr, M/M, The Parisian Butt Plug Tree
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-10-26
Updated: 2014-10-26
Packaged: 2018-02-22 18:30:53
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,148
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2517590
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AbschaumNo1/pseuds/AbschaumNo1
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The one where Grantaire is responsible for the Butt Plug Tree in Paris, and Bahorel shakes his head a lot</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Incident of the Great Paris Butt Plug Tree

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Marsha](https://archiveofourown.org/gifts?recipient=Marsha).



> Based on [this](http://abschaumno1.tumblr.com/post/100906738580/sarah531-i-am-amazed-amazed-that-no-one-has) tumblr post.  
> Credit for the original art installation goes of course to Paul McCarthy, whose [response to the vandalism](http://www.theguardian.com/artanddesign/2014/oct/23/paul-mccarthy-france-butt-plug-sculpture) was pretty great to be honest.
> 
> Also I gift this to Marsha, because it is her birthday, and I think she might appreciate this. Plus she has an important exam soon, and I wish her all the luck in the world.

“I can’t believe you went through with this,” Bahorel says as he lets the newspaper fall down into Grantaire’s lap. “Of all the ideas you had…”

Grantaire raises an eyebrow at him before picking up the paper and smoothing it out. Most of the page is taken up by a picture of what looks suspiciously like a butt plug, a giant green butt plug that someone has put up in the middle of Paris. He grins at the photo. “It looks great, doesn’t it?”

“You are ridiculous, I hope you know that,” Bahorel replies, shaking his head. But there is a glint in his eyes that betrays his amusement.

“But you love it.” Grantaire is wearing a satisfied smile now, and the cat-like stretch only makes him look even more like the cat that got the cream.

Bahorel rolls his eyes again as he bends down for a short kiss, before he says, “You know, I expect them to take this down. I’m fairly sure you need a permit for that.”

“Now, I was expecting you to say that,” Grantaire says with a lazy smile. “But I do in fact have a permit for it.”

“How?” Bahorel wants to know, because as ridiculous as the whole butt plug idea was in the first place this is even more ridiculous, because why would anyone allow an unknown artist to put up a giant inflatable butt plug in the middle of the capital. I t just doesn’t make sense to him in any way whatsoever.

“Well,” Grantaire replies, “I may know someone who knows someone who could help me out, and as it turns out they liked my work and I may have acquired a spot in an art show that made it possible for me to put a giant inflatable butt plug on a place in Paris.”

“You’re bullshitting me, aren’t you?” Bahorel does not believe a word of what Grantaire is telling him. There is just no way he pulled that off.

“No, I’m not.” Grantaire grins and pulls a sheet of paper from somewhere. It’s a copy of the permit, and Bahorel can only stare at it for a long moment.

“You actually got a permit to put up your art on the Place Vendome. You are officially allowed to place a giant green inflatable butt plug in the middle of Paris. I can’t believe what this city is allowing for the sake of art.” He can only shake his head again, at the whole thing. It’s not that he’s not happy for Grantaire, because he is actually very happy for Grantaire, and it is this kind of stuff that will hopefully help him to get from “unknown starving artist” to “slightly better known, slightly less starving artist”, but the ridiculousness of the entire thing is just too much for him. “What did you tell them about the message?” he asks finally.

“That it’s a critique of consumerism or something,” Grantaire says with a shrug. “Because obviously consumer society stuffs us with its products and the butt plug is a great symbol for that.”

Bahorel actually snorts at that. “I cannot believe you sometimes,” he says, and oh it will be interesting to see how their friends will react to this, because he can already see Enjolras fuming about it, and that will be one interesting conversation to witness.

When they arrive at the Corinthe that evening the first thing that happens is that Joly gets up to shake Grantaire’s hand, while Bossuet wipes fake tears from his eyes. “I cannot tell you how proud we are of you. Our little boy all grown up and on his way to become a proper known artist.”

Bahorel just grins, and pats Bossuet’s shoulder in passing as he makes his way over to Feuilly, who is now watching Joly lead Grantaire over to a seat where he is presented with a drink. “He really went through with it, didn’t he?” he says, as he takes a sip from his beer.

“Yes, he really did. I still can’t believe it.” Bahorel shakes his head.

“Any guesses at what Enjolras thinks about it?” Feuilly asks, but before Bahorel can reply, their friend walks into the room, and his eyes immediately find Grantaire, who is laughing with Jehan now.

Enjolras walks over to them. He stops and looks at Grantaire for a long moment, before he says, “I cannot believe you.”

Grantaire pulls up an eyebrow. “You’re not the first to say that to me today.”

“To think that you got them to approve the idea...” Enjolras shakes his head. “I’ve got to say I’m impressed.”

“Well, I did get through my art degree,” Grantaire replies grinning, and Enjolras laughs.

“You did. I think congratulations are in order.” He gives Grantaire’s shoulder a squeeze and turns to join Combeferre and Courfeyrac where they are in a deep discussion about some thing or other.

Bahorel can only gape. He is not quite sure what he has seen here, but he wonders if maybe he hasn’t woken up this morning and this is all a dream.

Feuilly pinches his arm without a word. “See you’re awake and this really happened.”

“Wow.” Bahorel shakes his head. “I really didn’t expect that. Exasperation or anger, okay, but he seemed proud...”

“Why wouldn’t he? I mean, Grantaire is his friend and this is big.” Feuilly shrugs. “Besides, I overheard them talking about Enjolras knowing someone who works at the museum that accepted Grantaire’s art.”

All Bahorel can say about that is, “Oh.”

Later after they had sex to celebrate, and are lying in bed with Bahorel firmly wrapped around Grantaire, as he usually is, Bahorel says, “So you got Enjolras to help you, huh?”

Grantaire who is snuggling into Bahorel’s chest, lets out a snort. “He wasn’t too keen on it first, but he loves shitting on the establishment, so he told me to try my luck.”

Bahorel shakes his head. “This must be the weirdest fucking day of my life,” he says, trying very hard not to face palm.

“Shut up and go to sleep,” Grantaire replies, and Bahorel just knows that he rolled his eyes at him, but he shuts up and closes his eyes so maybe his life can return to normal.

 

Of course Grantaire’s work of art causes an uproar, and of course it doesn’t stay long where it is. But apparently it doesn’t surprise him when they have to deflate the sculpture because vandals cut the cables, and he has another ace up his sleeve that has the potency of being just as outrageous as the first installation. And well, as much as Bahorel shakes his head about it, they both know he is just not showing how proud he really is, and if he prefers showing it behind the closed doors of their bedroom then Grantaire really isn’t one to complain.

**Author's Note:**

> Come say hi on [tumblr](http://abschaumno1.tumblr.com)


End file.
